


Smallville: A Pleasantville Remix

by verob2002



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-08-12
Updated: 2003-08-12
Packaged: 2017-11-01 10:40:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/355715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verob2002/pseuds/verob2002
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of CLFF V challenge. Convert my fave movie into Clexy goodness.</p><p>Smash up of Pleasantville and Smallville</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smallville: A Pleasantville Remix

**Author's Note:**

> This was written a long time. I reread it recently and I have to say, I cringed quite a bit. This has always been an interesting concept to me... The characters of the show being meta about the shows they are in. It is a concept I hope to re-explore and hopefully take another crack at sometime in the near future with the Smallville fandom.

## Smallville

by Stellarangel

[]()

* * *

Title: Smallville  
Author: Veronica (or Stely)  
Rating: R  
Category: Big AU (well sort of), First Time, Romance Pairing: Big Guess there.  
Summary: Adapt your favorite movie/play into CLexy goodness Disclaimer: They're not mine, but oh how I wish they were. Author's Note: My second fic ever, hope you like. Made some changes since I first posted it. Oh, and I've never really read much Smallville het, so please don't be offended if you do. Not intended to be RPS in any way. Biggs is a figment of my twisted imagination and not a representation of Tom Welling. Feedback: Would adore you for eternity if you send some, even if it's just to tell me you hated it. 

Thank you Cyndi. 

* * *

"Hey, come on Clark if you moved any slower you'd be extinct." 

Pete Ross jumped over his foster parent's couch and landed with plop on the soft, cushy, bluish-green fabric. Clark Kent walked out of the kitchen and took the time to walk around the couch and hand the black teenager beside him a huge bowl of popcorn. Pete clapped his hands together and rubbed them in anticipation. "Hey, Clark, t-minus 15 minutes and counting to the Smallville marathon. I can't wait." 

Clark smirked, "I can tell." 

Pete just rolled his eyes at Clark,"Excuse me, but I'm not the only excited about this and you know it." 

Clark smiled sheepishly and relented, "Yeah, you're right." 

The WB was going to show all 66 episodes from the last three seasons during the Fourth of July weekend. This included interviews with the cast and crew and an intermission with a live Fireworks display in Vancouver where the show was filmed. 

"You're just excited that Michael Rosenbaum is making a guest appearance, aren't you?" 

"Am not." 

"Oh, come on, you're gonna tell me you're not looking forward to seeing the guy whose made you question your sexual orientation." 

"Shut up, just because I confided in you that I read slash and that I thought it would be cool if Marc and Lex became a couple doesn't mean I'm gay or 'questioning my sexual orientation.'" 

"Whatever man, you're the one in denial." 

"Okay, I'll admit, I find Lex attractive, but he's the only guy I've ever thought about that way." 

Pete paused and then looked at Clark in mock seriousness, "Wow, Clark I think we've made a breakthrough here. Oh, shit, get the blue notepad on the counter over there for me." 

Clark was puzzled by the non sequitur comment."Why?" 

"Duh, the Smallville sweepstakes questions. The next three are shown after the end of the third episode." 

"Oh, yeah." Clark got up, walked to the kitchen and brought back the phone and notepad. 

Clark handed Pete the notepad, walked past Pete and plopped down on the armchair chair beside the couch. "Hey, Pete I'm gonna order the pizza already." 

"Sure...hey, can you imagine it...a walk on role on Smallville?" 

"I don't have to you're an encyclopedia when it comes to that show. I have no doubt you'll win." 

"Aw, shucks Clark do' ya really think so?" Pete made a girly play of batting his eye lashes at Clark and leaning to one side with his hands cupped together in a winsome manner. Clark laughed at the display. It reminded him of the Looney Toon's episodes where Bugs Bunny dressed up as a girl to evade and usually humiliate one Elmer Fudd. 

"You are full of it Pete. You know that don't you?" 

Pete pointed at the kitchen and playfully snarked, "Just make the phone call." 

After Clark had ordered the pizza, Clark came back into the living room and sat back down. Pete was scribbling something down. Clark sat there for a second, then chuckled to himself. Pete looked up at him puzzled, "What's so funny?" 

"I was just remembering how Kat, Anise, Cyndi, Marty, and the Schribners all left wearing bright purple shirts and caps and matching khakis." The Schribners were Pete and Clark's foster parents and the four other kids were their foster children also. They were all heading out to Grant Park to see the fireworks display over Lake Michigan. 

The Schribners let them stay because they knew their two oldest were obsessed with Smallville and wouldn't have spoken to them for weeks if they had made Pete and Clark miss the show. 

Pete and Clark had both been living with the Schribners close to three years. Clark moved in after his parent's died in a freak smelting accident...or at least that's what he told people...they had actually died in a car accident when he was fourteen. His only living relatives were his eighty year old great aunt and her husband. They weren't prepared or inclined to look after a precocious teenager ripe and ready to rebel against authority figures. However, the prophecy his great aunt made about him really didn't come to pass. He became introvert more than anything else. Devoted his time to hobbies and keeping to himself. Clark was lucky he ended up with the Scribners. They were decent people and encouraged his interests, but that didn't stop him from giving them a hard time when he first moved in. 

Pete lived in Berwyn with his grandmother until she passed away. She had raised him and after she died, he had no where to go. Pete adored his grandmother and you could tell she'd raised him well. He was always polite to his foster parents, was never caught doing anything wrong, and the Scribner's never felt there was a problem he couldn't handle, but just because he never got caught doing anything wrong didn't mean he never did anything he wasn't suppose to... 

Clark and Pete became fast friends. Their (Clark's parents/Pete's grandmother) caretakers raised them in a similar manner. They were both the same age, they had both attended the same junior high, and now the same high school, Jacqueline Vaughn High School in Jefferson Park. They both liked playing baseball, football, and had many of the same interest like comic books and astronomy, but their first shared interest was the show Smallville. 

They had a blast watching the show together. They debated whether the show benefited from the 'no tights, no flights' rule the show's creators had imposed, discussed the show's ultimate destination, character strengths/flaws and miscellaneous stuff. They often made fun of the gay subtext and laughed their asses off when Lex would gaze intensely at Marc and say,'If you need me, I'm there.' They compared the show with the X-Files because sometimes it was just too funny that some people never stayed dead. Case in point, Whitney Fordman. 

Mid-third season Whitney came back. His body was never found in Indonesia, but they made it seem so unlikely he survived that everyone just presumed he was dead. He was now nicknamed Cigarette Smoking Whit-Man by both teenagers. 

Both Pete and Clark had been fans of the Superman comic books and movies, but what pre-teen adolescent boy wouldn't? Marc K. Jent, alien son of Jor El, last son of Krypton, super powered being that got a wicked high from our yellow sun, mild-mannered reporter and savior of Metropolis to boot. 

Pete was immersed in his notes, but took a second to look at the television screen to check if the marathon had started yet. Pete proceeded to immediately begin salivating over Kristin Kreuk's promotional commercial for Smallville, and growled silently when he saw her standing next to Thomas Biggs. He was the guy cast as Mark Jent and was looking smug and cocky holding Kristen in his arms. Pete had had a huge crush on Lana Lang since the beginning of the show, and he hated Thomas Biggs. On the show, he played the innocent Marc Jent, respectful to his parents, sweet, honest to a fault, and best friend to Lex Luther, but in real life the guy was an arrogant, womanizing, self-serving bastard. He often clashed with the cast if he thought some other actor was getting more air time than he was and didn't mind letting anyone know it either. Pete generally liked the character Marc Jent, and the actors that played him, but this actor just grated on his nerves. Pete mentally shook himself from this train of thought. The marathon was about to start. 

Clark and Pete heard the tale-tell theme song and immediately put everything away out of sight and out of mind to give the television their full attention. Their hearts were racing. The blood in their bodies was rushing so fast that their temples were throbbing. Their breathing becoming increasingly erratic...the boys were going through the change. The exact change they experienced every time they sat down to watch the show...The Hulk didn't have anything on them. 

Speaking of the Hulk, here came Thomas Biggs. The preshow with the interviews of the cast and crew was kicking off, and Thomas was their first interviewee. He was brought out onto the large outdoor stage with hundreds of screaming fans all there to watch the preshow and then fireworks display. This guy was Lou Ferrigno big. He reminded Clark of the guys he saw weight lifting 250 in a g-string at the outdoor gyms on Lake Shore Drive. He was buff to say the least with a thick neck and massive biceps and thighs. The show exploited these attributes as much as possible by showing Biggs off in ripped shirts and pants a la Captain Kirk. This habit was explained away as an unfortunate consequence of Marc's frequent battles with Smallville's latest mutant baddies. His lips looked soft, but something about them reminded Clark of stuffed sausages and his eyes were a pretty dark brown, but the actor's personality marred them giving them a beady appearance. He had a strong chin that jutted outward and cleft in it that made him look like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. With a full, oval face, primped up stylized hair, dark tan, and GQ apparel, Thomas was strutting his stuff as he approached the guest host, shook his hand, and took his seat in the first of ten empty chairs on stage. 

The guy was a prima donna. He tended to opt for melodrama on the show so his performance was mediocre by actor's standards, but the guy was loved by hundreds upon thousands of screaming teenage girls that hung his poster on their bedroom walls. 

"Clark, you know man, I really don't like that dude...I mean I love Lex, well not as much as you..." Pete chuckled" and dam I love Lana, and the show as a whole, and that is the only reason I would willingly watch any show with that butt head starring in it." 

Clark responded lamely, "Yeah, I know what you mean. The guy's a jackass" 

Pete and Clark willingly blocked most of what Thomas was saying, and stayed like that until they introduced Kristen Kreuk. Needless to say, both Pete and Pete Jr. stood at attention when she was introduced and nothing going on around him registered as he watched Kristen give her interview. 

When it was time for Michael Rosenbaum's interview, Pete got out of his Kristen induced catatonia to realize that the pizza had gotten there quite a while ago now that it was lukewarm and half eaten. 

Aw, there he was, the object of Clark's affection. Well, more specifically the man behind his object of affection... if that makes any sense. Even though Michael was the blueprint, he wasn't exactly Lex Luthor. His dark, black hair was in a late Black Hawk Down, early Jim Morrison stage of growth so Michael didn't set Clark's heart thunderously throbbing like it would've had he been completely bald. It wasn't like he couldn't distinguish between the actor or the character, after all, he wasn't going to go out and write his own version of "David Duchovney, why don't you love me?" by erasing Duchovney's name and inserting Michael Rosenbaum. 

It was Lex's character that fascinated Clark. He action's were ambiguous, but could be interpreted as evil. Yet, it was pretty easy to justify his actions like during the episode 'Ash.' When the show first started, he'd chat online about the show and Luthor's presence on it. A lot of people he spoke with were angry he was even on it. However, even these people began sympathizing with Lex and understanding the blurred gray existence he lived in, and began comparing and contrasting it with the Jent's black and white out look on life. 

He turned to fanfiction to help him understand Lex or at least get into his psyche because Clark was confused. Clark's parents and the Scribners were caring, open minded individuals, but they also ingrained Clark and the rest of the kids with a strong sense of morality, civic duty, and patriotism. Clark couldn't reconcile why he liked Lex so much while still knowing that one day Lex would become Superman's deadliest nemesis. 

Clark had first read fanfiction because he hated the second season of Witchblade and wanted to see if there were any stories written by fans that were better than the stuff he'd been watching. Steadily from there, Clark grew to love fanfiction in all it's forms. For the longest time, he steered clear of Slash because there was always an 'Eck' or 'Squick' factor there for him. 

However, the Het and gen stories were never any help. When Marc was paired up with Lana or with Chloe, all they seemed to do was speed up Lex's descent from grace. He'd succumb to the dark side and the young scion would rise to become the evil genius/mad scientist/corporate mogul that the pair would fight against and triumph over. 

They didn't help answer why Clark was so into Lex or in fact any of his question, but only served to irritate Clark more than anything else. 

Het Lex pairings were worse. Lana...or Chloe through the lovey-dovey redeeming power of love turns the budding mogul into a honest, caring man that completely rejects his evil, dark side without further exploring Lex's struggle with his dark side...and that's about it. They made it sound like a switch that could just be turned on and off. 

Well, Lex/Marc pairings did the same thing except it never seemed as plausible as when it happened between Marc and Lex. 

This again left Clark with more question than answers. 

As last resort, Clark turned to Lex/Marc slash. That helped to explain why Lex was better known as "Sexy Lexy" to many fanfiction writers and why Clark was irresisibly attracted to Lex. 

"Really, Pete, don't you think that maybe Marc and Lex really ought together?" 

"Enough with the slash, Clark . I'm trying to watch the show here. " Pete lazily added, "Look, it's cool that you trust me enough to confide in me your need to explore your sexuality, or lack of, seeing as how you haven't been on a date with a girl in over three months...even if I kind of made you tell me anyway...that's not the point. I also understand that you're curious about which way you swing since you seem to be inexplicably attracted to no other guy than the make believe character, Lex Luthor, this may just be motivated my your ego trying to balance out the opposing forces between your id and your superego, but like I said, I'm trying to watch the show." 

Clark quirked a smile, "Psychology's been good to you?" 

Pete grinned, "Yeah, I sound a hell of a lot smarter than I actually am, huh?" 

"Yeah," Clark's reply was breathy as he attempted to stifle a yawn. 

"I've already got two study dates lined up." Pete added with some pride. 

Clark was actually really surprised Pete took it as well as he did when he told Pete he was into slash. That was probably due the influence Pete's grandmother had over him. She believed in the "live and let live philosophy." 

Pete was just mad that Clark was sneaking off to use the computer in the middle of the night, careful to erase his tracks, and then not telling Pete what he'd been up until he'd caught him once. 

Clark just slouched in his seat and sat goofily gazing at the sight of the steel, blue eyed beauty in front of him. 

"Paprika, get off of me." Clark turned to see Pete struggling to get the Scribner's Jacks Russell Terrier off him and to quit licking his face. That dog was unhealthily affectionate towards Pete and Clark didn't mind teasing Pete about it either. 

Scorned by Pete, Paprika jumped onto the table and started angrily yapping at Pete. Pete was attempting to sho her off, but her fangs were making their presence known as she started growling at Pete and snapping at his fingers. Pete saw her edging towards the two most precious things on that table, his notebook and the remote. 

"Whoa, girl, just be a good girl and get off the table." 

"Grrrl," was Paprika's response, she was a bitch that didn't take rejection well. 

Pete decided to go for the remote and notepad. He leaned over the couch and then edged towards the wooden coffee table. Clark was just sitting there watching to see what would happen next. "Hey, Clark, are you gonna help me out or not," Pete said softly whispering out of the corner of his mouth, but without taking his eyes off of Paprika. 

The second Clark got up to help Pete, Paprika freaked. She was yapping frantically at the both of them, jabbing the remote with her paws as she scurried around the coffee table, tearing up the notepad, and then in one panic induced moment made off with the remote, towards the kitchen, and out the doggy door. 

The television's volume was now on it's highest setting and the dimly lite room was a glow from the snow on the screen. The screeching "shee" sound that accompanied snow bombarded their ear drums. 

"Clark, change it back." Pete yelled over the noise. 

"I can't. This tv doesn't work without the remote." Clark screamed back. 

This revelation sent Clark and Pete scrambling out the door with murderous intent to find Paprika and gab the remote back. They found the Jacks Russell Terrier scurrying around the backyard weaving this way then zagging the other. When Paprika finally dropped the remote, they found it in the sandbox chewed to hell. Their night had now been shot the same way too. 

Defeated, Clark and Pete trudged back into the house and flopped down on the couch. When the snow and static could no longer be ignored, Clark lost two out of three games of rock, paper, scissors to decide who would be the one to get up and turn off the tv. 

Clark moped back to the couch, "Pete, what are we gonna do now?" 

Pete shrugged, "I guess we have to find another remote or tv to watch." 

"Where are we gonna find another remote?" Clark replied dismally. 

Pete abruptly sat up, "You know I think the Scribner's got an old tv up in the attic somewhere." 

Right when the boys were going to zoom to the attic, the door bell rang. 

"Clark, you get the tv, I'll get the door." 

As Clark was taking the stairs two and three at a time, he heard the voice of an old, kindly sounding man greet Pete. Clark couldn't hear what was being said, but stopped when he heard Pete enthusiastically call him back. 

"Oh, man, you are God sent. How did you get here so quick, we didn't even call anyone?" 

"Well, the cable company likes to keep on top of these things you know." The repairman cheered, "And we can't let the satellite companies take all our customers away now, can we?" 

When Clark saw the old man, he was instantly reminded of Barney Fife, or that guy from Three's Company. He was wearing a cream colored jumpsuit with a matching hat and a name tag that said ' Phil' on it. 

"So what are you two lads watching on tv tonight?" 

Clark answered as the three men walked into the living room,"We're watching the Smallville marathon on the WB." 

"Oh, I love that show. Back in my day, I grew up reading the comic books, and watching the old Superman cartoons, but I always wondered what Marc Jent was like as a teenager. You know...whether he had as hard of a time picking up girls as I did. I think they're doin' a mighty fine job with that show though. Gosh, I'm such a big fanI love to test out my knowledge on others that like it as much as I do. Say, you wouldn't mind would you?" 

Clark and Pete were getting pretty antsy to get a working remote, but something about the old man was charming almost so they looked at each other and both shrugged. 

"Sure." They said in unison. 

"Okay. Let's see in the first season, what was the name of the flower that infected Lana, Dave, and Jonathan Jent?" 

Pete responded first, "Oh, that's easy, it the Nicodemus flower." 

"That's right, okay...what song was playing at the end of 'Cool' after Lana visits Clark at the loft close to the end of the episode....And what concert did Lex give Clark tickets to go see in the same episode" 

Clark replied instantly to this question, "'In my place' by Coldplay and Radiohead." 

"That's also right," Barney Fife drawled and smiled up at Clark. By this time, Phil had bent down on one knee, opened his faded, cherry red tool box, and was reaching for a new, slightly better remote than the one Paprika destroyed ."Okay, last question...in the third season, how many times did Lana use the phrase 'Man of Steel'." 

Pete responded promptly, "Five." 

"Nope, four." 

"No, five, first in 'Double Prints,' second in 'Whirlwind,' third in 'Brimstone,' fourth in 'Cane'...and fifth in 'Ziggy.' 

"Now I don't remember she saying that in 'Ziggy'?" 

"Yes, because in the episode Lana was pissed Marc had stood her up at the Farmer's Market, and while Ben Kweller was playing in the background, Lana says, 'What did I expect from Mr. Man of Steel here. I suppose Dorothy Becker wants her heartless tin man back." 

"You remember all that?" 

"Yeah, anything to do with Lana, and I soak it up like a sponge." 

"Hmm, that's interesting...hmm, I'm not sure, but I think you two might be interested in a very special remote I have here." Phil slide back the drawer holding the newer model remote he had been fingering earlier, dipped his hand into the bottom of the tool box to reveal a remote that had to be three times older than either Clark or Pete. It was oval shaped and had a grand total of five buttons on it. 

"Aw, thanks." Clark finally spoke up after they'd watched with growing anticipation the old man's grand gestures and did their best to mask their disappointment when they finally saw the remote. 

Barney Fife just smiled and replied,"No, thank you." 

After Pete and Clark escorted Phil back to the door, Phil turned to the boys and said, "Yall have fun now." 

"Thanks," Clark replied, "Have a nice night, sir." 

They scrambled into the living room. Pete turned on the tv, while Clark changed the channel back to the WB. The marathon's interview segment was wrapping up with a fireworks display accompanied by Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. 

"This is so great, man...Can you believe how fast we got a remote." Pete bouncing gleefully on the couch. 

Clark just shrugged still a little perturbed. "No, I can't. It's insane how fast we got it, don't you think." 

"Hey, Clark, don't go looking a gift horse in the eye...or something like that." 

Clark sat pensively for a second, and the shook his head and smiled, "You know...I never got that saying." 

Pete grinned, "Me either." 

"Oh shit. Pete, Paprika's back." 

Clark had placed the remote on the coffee table. Now Clark was sitting in the arm chair adjacent to the couch Pete was sitting in and both were eyeing the terrier snarling at them near the corner of the coffee table. Paprika resembled a bull ready to charge and she was going after the remote. Her paws were digging into the carpet, her breathing was audibly heavy, and in a blink of an eye...she charged. 

Pete and Clark moved the instant Paprika came running towards them. They butted heads as they both grabbed the remote. 

.........Neither Clark nor Pete noticed that the first episodes of the marathon had started or that the remote's little red light had begun blinking slow at first, then increasingly faster until the blinking could be detected no futher with the naked eye......... 

The second the two teen manhandled the remote, they felt as though they were on the merry-go-round moving faster and faster. They were moving in a vortex of light and sound that bombarded their senses. Faster and faster they continued to whirl and spin round and round. Just when it seemed they were gonna hurl everything they'd eaten in the last month, the spinning slowed and the teens fell with a thud on the floor. 

Clark wobbled to his feet first. He used the coffee table to help him up, but when he shifted his entire weight on to it, he cracked the corner end of the table off. 'This is too wierd...Damn, Mrs. S is gonna kill me,'Clark thought to himself and brought himself upright. 

"Clark, seeing as how you recovered from whatever hell that was...mind helping a brother up here," groaned Pete who was staring straight up at Clark while lying supine on an aged, hard wood floor. 

"Sure, Pete." Clark bent down to haul Pete up, but he helped him a little too much. Pete flew off the floor and straight towards the ceiling. He would've fallen on his face but luckily Clark broke his fall. 

Once again both on the floor, Pete looked at Clark beside him, "What in the hell just happened?" 

Clark just shook his head, "You are asking the wrong person." 

When they were both standing, they looked around and took in their surroundings. They were a living room that was lit with natural light. The room was cozy, and felt lived in. It resembled the rooms designed by the guys at Southern Comfort magazine. For Pete's sake, there was even a handsome quilt draped on the back of the living room couch. 

Clark and Pete turned toward the hall entrance when they heard footfalls approaching their position. "Marc, Dave...ah, here you are? What was that noise?" John Schneider was standing right in front of them and he was calling them what? 'Hello, we have just entered the Twilight Zone.' 

Clark squeaked a response. Too bad it wasn't coherent to any of them. 

"Hm...right." Jonathan looked at his wrist watch and turned to Pete, "Dave, didn't you say you needed to be home by five?" When Jonathan didn't receive an answer, he started looking at the teenagers suspiciously. Clark shoved Pete to get him to out of his stupor. 

"Yes, sir." Pete gulped. 

"Um...dad...can you give us a minute, please?" At this, Pete looked at Clark in disbelief, his expression so shocked that he'd might as well have said, 'Et tu, Clark.' 

"Sure, son." At this, Pete gave a double take. 'What the Hell was going on?' 

They waited until they were sure Jonathon had left and was reasonably far away before speaking. 

"Pete, you are going to think I'm insane, but hear me out, okay. I think we've been sucked into...the tv show..into Smallville." 

Pete replied slightly dazed, "I believe you and I think you're right." 

Clark looked like he'd been psyching himself up to defend his theory, but he wasn't prepared to have Pete agree with him "...huh?" 

"Hello, we're both here aren't we, or I'm just as insane as you are." 

"So what do we do?" 

"Do just what you just did. We play along. You are Mark Jent and I am Dave Rows." 

Jonathon came back. "Marc, you didn't finish your chores. 

"Oh...uhm." 

"He'll be right out, Mr. Jent." 

When Jonathan was out of sight, Clark turned to Pete." Pete I never been on a farm. I don't know what kind of chores you do on a fucking farm." Clark was getting hysterical. 

"Calm down. You'll think of something. Besides you got something else to worry about." 

"Oh and what would that be mister smarty pants?" 

"You're Marc Jent." 

"What's so...oh." 

Pete nodded, "Exactly." 

"So what's the game plan...Is there a game plan?" 

"Like we agreed. We play along and try not to mess this alternate universe or whatever it is up, and like the man said have fun." 

"What...man?" 

Pete answered exasperated, "Phil, the repairman." 

"No, I mean, why not leave now. Use the remote to take us back." 

"Are you telling me you'd rather be back home watching Smallville on the couch when you can be on it." 

"But you're so worried about messing up things, why take a chance." 

"Clark, look at the big picture here. Who is the one person on this show you would like to meet above anyone else?" 

"Lex Luthor." Clark said awe in his voice. 

"Lex Luthor. We'll just hang around for a day, week or two. Take in the sites, do nothing to seriously interfere with the events of the show, and then, we'll go home." 

"You're just trying to convince me to stay so that you can stay and meet Lana." 

"And what's wrong with that?" 

"Absolutely nothing. Okay, we'll stay." 

* * *

When Pete left for the Rows's house, Clark went to find Jonathon in the barn. 

"Um, dad, could you do me a favor?" 

"Sure, son." 

"Could you explain to me what my chores are as though I had never done them before?" 

* * *

The next morning Clark finished his chores with minimal discomfort. The same could not have been said for the day before. Clark explained that he been hit pretty hard on the head by the latest Smallville mutant, and that he'd been having trouble remembering things, but also that he believed it was a temporary occurrence. It wasn't until Jonathon truly believed the veracity of Clark's story that Jonathon's annoyance morphed into true concern. Jonathon took Clark step by step. He instructed him on how to do various tasks starting with the simplest and working their way towards the more difficult stuff. Clark also learned how to rudimentarily keep his super strength and speed under control and how to implement them so that he could use it lift impossibly huge objects and complete tasks at warp speed. 

Today, Clark did all the chores on a list Jonathon had given him, kissed Martha good bye and left to wait for bus. He would have run to school, but unlike Pete who was such an encyclopedia and nitpicker when it came to the show that he knew all the streets and how to get there, Clark just plain didn't know where it was. 

Since Chloe and Pete both drove, Clark took the bus solo. 

He was relieved when he found Pete standing at the entrance waiting for him. 

"Hey Pe..ah..um..Dave." 

"Hey man." 

"Here I got you all set,"Pete began handing Clark pieces of paper one at a time,"This is your school schedule, your locker number, town map, home phone number and miscellaneous info...um, this is...uh I forgot what this is." 

"Thanks and hey I was kind of getting worried." 

"Don't worry. Tomorrow I'll pick you and today I'll take you around town, and hopefully visit the Talon. I would have picked you up, but I was finishing this stuff up." 

"Thanks, I appreciate this Pete." 

"No problem, besides were tourists here, we might as be prepared and anyway we don't want to mess anything up here, do we...Do we?" 

"Of course not." 

The information Pete gave him was a lifesaver, but it didn't save him when he failed to check whether or not Marc had any homework due the next day. In fifth period, he super speeded a question and answer worksheet by answering with bullshit answers on a subject he vaguely knew anything about. He'd done it before, but was delighted to have the aid of uber locomotion now. 

During lunch, Chloe joined them to discuss the strange weather they'd been having. Hurricane winds had ravaged a house on Mill's Street where a guy by the name of Ernest Rauwolf resided. No other houses were touched. The sunny weather they'd had that day disappeared one minute, then reappeared after the cyclonic weather had passed. 

"Are we in that episode?" Pete said to no in particular with a hint of nostalgia. 

Clark gave Pete a quick poke in the ribs. 

Pete whispered fiercely at Clark,"Ow...man, wanna make me bleed internally?" 

Clark grimaced and whispered back,"Oopps, sorry. I forg0t." 

"Hi Marc." It was Lana. 

On tv, Lana's sad sweetness was nothing in comparison to have it affect you in person. It reminded Clark of the song 'Milk' by Garage. It was melodic, magnetic, sensual, and a tad bit creepy. 

Too bad he didn't go for that sort of thing. 

Pete, however, was a different case all together. 

He was...he...it was pitiful. He eyes were the size of saucers. Pete kept attempting to speak, but nothing would come out but a squeak here and a squeak there. Clark just hoped he fared better than Pete when he met Lex. 

Lana detected something different about Marc. She wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed like he didn't seem to want to pay her any special attention, and it annoyed her. She finally tried to get a response out of him by making him jealous. Incidently, she tried to do this by flirting with Dave, but it didn't go as she expected She talked to him, and pretended not to notice Pete's asinine behavior. And still Marc didn't care one way or another except to get him laughing unexpectedly. 

Clark was amused by the spectical in front of him. Lana would smile at Pete and he melted like Jell-o left out in the sun too long. Wobbled the exact same way too...on the way down. Clark laughed when he got a mental picture of Pete in a tank of lime-green jello screaming, 'I'm melting I'm melting.' 

During this lunch room display, Chloe was impressed that Marc didn't immediately succumb to Lana's will and dodged all her attempts to wrangle him in. 'Ah, how the mighty have fallen...Huh, I wonder what's changed..Hm, maybe I finally have a chance with him after all...Oh, wait, duh...I forgot I'm spying on him for Lionel Luthor...Damn, I guess my chances are less than nil now if I ever had any. Well at least it doesn't seem Lana has a chance either. Na nah na nah boo boo.' Chloe sing songed in her head. 

Clark noticed Chloe starring at him with a smirk on her face. He smiled back, but reminded himself to be cautious around her. He knew that in this episode Chloe was still spying for Lionel, but he also knew that three episodes from now she'd break free from him and maybe...just maybe with Clark's help she could make the transition away from him less painful....even if he promised Pete he wouldn't interfere. Clark hoped he was doing the right changing things where Chloe was concerned...among other things... 

Clark had always liked Chloe. She was just a cool character all through the first season, even if she became a major bitch toward the end of the second. He loved the passion she had for journalism, for her being a city girl and seeker of truth in a town full of ignorant plebs that wore blinders to the world around them. She just wore her heart to close to her sleeve when it came to her feelings for Marc. 

That afternoon, Clark and Pete met Lana and Chloe at the Talon. Lana was now willfully ignoring Clark and speaking only to Pete and Chloe, which was okay by Clark. 'Anyway the more for Pete,' Clark thought to himself. The kicker for Clark was that they weren't interfering with the events of this episode. Marc and Lana were in one of their off 'I angry at you because you don't understand the inner me' phases. She would later on try to hook up with Whitney again in this episode, but they would have a heart to heart and decide it was for the best just to remain friends. 

Lana, who had a young lifetime of experience handling boys with crushes on her (...okay so she wasn't always successful), was helping Dave work through his shyness and catatonic like state. Dave's crush on her appeared suddenly, but she liked it. It reminded her of how Marc used to act around her. 

Clark was glancing around the room, looking at nothing in particular, when He arrived. 

'LexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLexLex, my God there he is.' 

He was even more beautiful in real life than he ever imagined. Lex's fair skin, the way it seemed to glow. Lex's steel blue eyes. His calculating gaze, the scar on his lips, his affinitely for the color purple, the elegance and grace in which he carried himself. Everything he loved about Lex was hitting him like a freight train. 

Clark remained in his Lex induced reverie, taking in everything about Lex and committing it to memory when he felt Pete kick him under the table. Clark deduced that he'd probably been staring longer than any society would deem appropiate, especially now that everyone was staring at him staring at Lex. 

'Oops, that must of hurt,' Clark thought judging from the way Pete was wincing. 

"Clark, is everything all right." Lex asked looking concerned. 

"Yeah, yeah...yup, everything is ah fine," Clark was trying to be as nonchalant as possible, but inside his heart felt like it was plummeting into his stomach, while his stomach was running the hundred meter race with a limp over scalding charcoals. 

"Sure?" 

"Yeah." 

"Here sit with us." Clark asked bringing a chair from another table. 

Within ten minutes Lana, Chloe, and Pete scattered off in different directions. Lana insisted that Pete have a study date with her while casually glancing at Clark to look for a response. To her great disappointment, she didn't get any. Pete readily accepted and walked off to a corner of the room to study quietly. Chloe begged off joining Lex and Clark for a cup of coffee. She claimed she had some work at the Torch, but Clark knew that in actuality she was rushing off to meet Lionel to turn in her latest report. 

Lex ordered a cappuccino, and ran his hand across his scalp. He looked tired. 

"How was your day?" Clark remember at the last second not to interject some moronic endearment like 'dear, pookie, shukums, honey-pie.' 

"It was long, but not too bad. I met a business associate from New York today. The meetings ran right on from 10 am until 6 pm." 

"Sounds like a real bitch." 

Lex, who had been looking down while he was rubbing his head, suddenly looked up. His eyebrows shot up. His eyes glowing with enhantment, and smiling beautifully at Clark. 

"You know coming from you, why that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day." 

Clark beamed, "It's my pleasure, Mr. Luthor. We do aim to please." 

"Ah, well of course. So what did you do today?" 

"Went to class. BS-ed on a questions and answers worksheet in English. Ate something that was bearly recognizable as food during lunch, and that's pretty much it. " 

"I'm sorry I can't relate. I've never had the privilege of dining at a public school cafeteria before." 

"Yeah, well I'd say you were deprived. It builds character and survival skills. If you can eat that food, you can eat anything. So in the unlikely event I'm cast away on a deserted island in the Pacific Northwest, eating night crawlers and dune beetles will be no problem." 

"Clark, I'm no expert, but I don't believe there are any dune beetles in the Pacific Northwest." 

Clark shrugged, "Pota-ta pota-toe. Canada. Cairo. Both start with a C. " 

"Yes, I see that makes all the difference. Clark, I never realized in all the time I've known you, but you're smart ass at heart. I feel privileged to see this side of your personality." 

"All for you Lex. And Pete. Lana too. Can't forget Chloe. I guess I could fit Whitney in too." 

"Smart ass." 

"Thank you." 

They continued to discuss the merits of government cheese and what really was in mystery meat for sometime further. Clark was surprised by how comfortable it felt being in Lex's presence and just bantering with him. Yup, he and Lex were just like peas and carrots.... 

Lex paused to check his watch. 

"My God, it's 11:30. 

Clark yawned uncontrollably, "Tempus Fugit." 

"What time do you have to home by?" Lex asked. 

Clark had no idea. "Um, I guess I should be going." 

"Here let me give you a ride home." 

As they walked toward the door, Clark pointed to Lana asleep at the counter. She had probably decided it was best not to kick the boss out of his own establishment just because she usually closed the Talon at 11. Clark shouted a 'good bye' to Lana on their way out which promptly woke her up. 

As they walked toward Lex's Porsche, Lex was the first to speak. 

"So what's up with you and Lana?" 

"Nothing, why?" 

"You just don't seem as interested in her lately. Let me guess, you're trying to make her jealous." 

"No, I'm just indifferent." 

Apparently this was the last thing Lex expected Clark to say because now Lex was looking at Clark like he was a total stranger. "Marc, in all the time we've been friends, I've been certain of two things," Lex held out two fingers up,"One, you're head over heels in love with Lana Lang, " one finger down, "and two, you're head over heels in love with Lana Lang," Lex grinned. 

"It does seem like I had a one track mind, huh?" 

"A little...Do you know this is the first time in months that we'd sat down and just talked? We talk all the time don't get me wrong. But this is the first time in a while that neither one of us has had to rush off or give each other quick bits of advice before an up coming battle so to speak" 

"Yeah, I've noticed too." 

"I enjoyed it." 

"Me too." 

Lex drove them home. No one spoke, but the silence was comfortable. When Lex pulled up, he touched Clark's hand to keep him from leaving the car right away. Clark shivered at Lex's touch. 'Damn, what would it feel like to have him touch me everywhere else?' 

"Clark would you like to go to Metropolis with me Friday, maybe see the Shark's game or take in the sights?" 

Clark gave Lex a thousand watt smile, "I'd like that." 

As Clark got out of the car, he noticed that his 'dad' was scowling at him, but more so at Lex. Clark turned to get one last glimpse at Lex before he left, but he was surprised Lex wasn't all ready driving away. He was just watching Clark...maybe hoping to catch a last glimpse of him as well. Their eyes met and held each other's gaze before Jonathon called out for Clark to come in. Lex inclined his head and turned the car around to leave. 

Clark trudged up to the porch and smiled when he heard Lex yell, "Good night, Mr. Jent." 

* * *

Clark found out he was a surprisingly good liar when he felt inspired. 

Lying 101: 

~Lots of details...He made up a story about studying with Pete at the Talon until late. He describes the pastries they ate and the types of coffee they drank, and an incident in which Pete snorted coffee out his nose. 

~An alibi. Someone that can willingly or unwillingly collaborate your story, which in this case was Pete. 

Clark then explained that Lex passed by to pick up an expresso when he ran into Clark and then offered him a ride home. 

Jonathon was livid and ranted on about how disappointed in Clark that he'd neglected to do his chores, but Clark could tell he was really pissed that Lex had been the one to drive him home. 

On his way to second period, Clark ran into Pete. 

"Man is this great or what?" 

"Great man." 

"What's wrong?" 

"Jonathon got mad that Lex drove me home." 

"What time did you get home?" 

"Mmm...eleventhirtyish." 

"Eleven! Didn't you check your research...my research. You're supposed to be home at promptly 10:30 every night. Well, except when mutants attack. No wonder Jonathon's mad." 

'Gosh, he made it sound like a FOX Special: When Mutants Attack,' Clark thought. "No, he was just mad Lex drove me home." 

"Come on, Jonathon likes Lex now. He was nice at Lex's wedding and Jonathon's been acting pretty decent around Lex during the third season too. " 

"Don't you remember, 'Borders' mid third season. He told Martha that no matter what Lex does to prove he's a decent guy, he'll never trust him." 

"Yeah, forgot that. Well, we both knew the guy is over protective about his son. Besides, Lex does go the Darth Vader route eventually." 

"Well...it's no wonder. Look at how John-boy treated Lex in the first season. If anything, it's guys like John-boy that make Lex feel that's really who he is and make him into what he becomes." 

"I don't think Jonathon gives Sociology much thought, but one thing he does believe in is that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." 

"Well what if Marc and Lex get together maybe that'll keep Lex from going bad. It happens tons of times in fanfic." 

"What makes you think the show isn't headed that way already. We make fun of the gay subtext all the time," Pete nodded, "Yes, even I see it there. Maybe they become lovers and have some sort of falling out, and that's why Lex goes bad and becomes ten times worse than his father. That happens in fanfic too. You've told me about it." 

"Um, Pete when does Marc fight Ernest in this ep?" 

"Friday, why?" 

"I have something I want to do on Friday so do you think you can help take him down on Thursday... What?" 

"I thought we'd agreed we wouldn't interfere." 

"We're not. We're just tweaking the timeline a little." 

"What do you want me to do?" 

"Okay. We both know how this episode ends, right?" 

"Yeah, so?" 

"We speed up to the part where I fight the villain. I figured that since we know how to defeat Ernie already lets not waste time tracking him down or figuring out how to get rid him. If we do it now, we have extra time to do whatever we want, right?" 

Pete nodded his head. 

"So I'll stop him before he terrorizes the O'Leary's cows and you make sure that the O'Leary's get to the hospital." 

"Don't those cows die." 

"Yeah, but what's the big deal if we save the herd of cows. Besides we both know when and where to act. I'll take down Ernest, the O'Leary's will be safe, and we're done." 

"Sounds good, but I don't know." 

"What's worst that can happen?" 

"Oh, I don't know..that's the cows'll eat meteor rocks and start terrorizing the good citizens of Townsville." 

"Smallville." 

"You know what I mean." 

"But I'm Bubbles, just so you know.... You can be Blossom," Clark added with a smile. 

* * *

The plan went exactly as planned...sort of. Clark scared off Ernest before he could finish terrorizing his old boss and his family or their cows, but he didn't stay to take them to the emergency room. Their condition wasn't serious so it didn't matter that they got to the hospital ten minutes later than they would have arrived originally. 

Clark had practiced using his super powers all week by blowing up things with his laser vision, looking through the girl's locker room to hone his X-Ray vision, running back and forth from Metropolis, and bench pressing the family tractor, but it was still a struggle getting Ernest all the way to the Osage burial grounds. 

This had been where Ernie first received his powers and where he would finally lose them. Ernie, a small fella about 5'4 with mousy brown hair and a bad case of halitosis, summoned all of his awesome power to slam Clark into every tree from the O'Leary's farm to the buried ground. 

The burial ground was a large mound with large boulders surrounding the base. The rocks were five feet in diameter and two feet tall. They were probably much larger once, however, the rocks showed evidence of major sedimentary erosion. 

Clark struggled to get Ernie on the mound, but the guy kept hurling Clark to and fro with monstrous cyclonic winds. It was a parody of Sumo wrestling trying to get Ernie into the circle instead of out of it. Clark finally just rammed Ernie into whatever vortex those rocks created until it sucked Ernie into it. When Clark dusted the dirt off his jeans and started making his way back to modern civilization, he could have sworn he heard the rocks burp. 

The incident wasn't weird enough that people willfully ignored it like they usually did. This was a violent world where office violence commonly occurred and happened even in the real world outside the bubble of Smallville weirdness. So people talked about Ernie without straying outside the box they preceived the world from, which most likely was there to preserve their sanity. To them, Ernest Rauwolf was a disgruntled ex-employee that had tried to hurt and possibly kill his former boss. 

When the family members regained consciousness in the hospital, they all remembered that a teenager had scared off Rauwolf and saved their precious cows. 

Pete was now a hometown hero. 

He was given free oranges at the grocery store, free lattes at the Talon, got a story in the Torch and a month's discount at Fordman's hardware store. 

For Dave Rows, life was good. 

On the way home he ran into Lana holding a plate of cookies. 

"Hi Lana." 

"Hey Dave. I wanted to thank you for saving the O'Leary's cows." 

"Why? I mean how come?" 

"It's gonna sound strange, I know, but when I was younger I used to play at the O'Leary's farm. Well, they let me name one of the newborn calves and she's been like a to pet to me ever since. They keep her as a dairy cow and promised me that they would never sell her. It's nice of them to promise that because I like to go visit her every so often. " 

Pete smiled. He'd made Lana happy. Life was good. 

"Here I want you to have these. They are a little burnt, but not too bad I hope." 

"But you give these to Whitney." 

Lana quiked a smile, "No, I'm giving them to you." 

"No, their Whitney's." 

She finally, politely shoved them in Pete's hands, "No, they're yours, Dave." 

"Oh...uh..amp..thank you." 

"I was wondering if you would like to go with me to visit the O'Leary's farm, maybe take a picnic along with us." 

"Sure. I'd like that." 

"Great. How about Saturday." 

"Yeah that'd be great. Hey, Lana, what's the name of your cow?" 

Lana grinned meekly like she knew Pete was gonna laugh, "Her name's Bessie." 

* * *

"Yessssssssss, yes, yes, yes, yes, yesssssssssssssssssss," Pete was pumping his arm in the air like he just didn't care. He ran through the hall on the his way to the stairs, and started up the stairs taking two and three steps at a time. 

"Pssst! Hey Pete! Pssst, hey Pete, come over here." 

"What?" Pete looked around. The hall was empty, turned around and realized the voice was coming from the living room. 

"Pete," Phil was on the tv and he looked mad," What do you think you are doing? I'm watching re-runs of Smallville, and did you know what I saw? Lana giving you Whitney's cookies. What been going on?" 

"I know those were Whitney's cookies and I'm sorry, but it wasn't intentional," 

"That's okay. All we have to do is bring you and Clark back, and we'll set things right." 

"Umm..I can't cause you see...the remote's at Clark's house, and as you can see I'm not there, and I have lots of homework I have to get to work on it. You know how it is. High school, all they make you do is work, work, work." 

"Pete, I'm serious. Ya'll have to come back now." 

"Ahaalll..Philip..I'm sorry...I think you're breaking up. I can barely see you," Pete was slowly approaching the tv. 

"Pete. Pete, are you listening to me." 

"I'm sorry I can't make out a word you're saying. We'll talk next time when the reception's better, okay...bye!" and with that Pete turned the tv off. 

* * *

Clark stood in front of the mirror in his boxers interrogating the mirror. It was strange to think how different he looked like from just a few days ago. Clark had been a strong seventeen year old, but of the thin, lanky variety. His muscles had had very little definition and what little he did have was usually covered up in a pair of baggy pants and an extra large t-shirt. His skin had been less than perfect with stray pimples scattered across his face marring what he thought was a somewhat handsome face. 

It was a trip now to look in the mirror and have Arnold's body staring back at him. His chest was broader now with huge pectoral muscles. A little lower his abs were tightly packed together with muscles that felt they'd been cut out of marble. The neat quadrilateral polygons buckled and rippled as he clenched and unclenched his abdominal muscles. His back was defined and cut with rivets of strength that rippled down and wrapped around his shoulders, biceps, triceps and forearms. His hips were slim, but powerful looking that cascaded down into strong, sinewy thighs and calves. 

As he examined himself in the bathroom mirror, he stood were rays of sun light streaming through the window were most concentrated. Clark threw his head back and closed his eyes. He thoroughly enjoyed feeling the sun on his bare skin. It was almost as if his skin felt ecstasy by it's sheer presence. The power of the sun's rays flowed through out his body radiating power to his core and outward to his extremities. 

His skin glowed with a natural tan minus blemishes that magically disappeared on entry. It appeared Smallville was good for his complexion. His eyes appeared larger and a vibrant green, his hair shimmered shiny and healthy, his lips soft and rosy, but Clark really didn't notice all this. He stood there examining his arms and hands, then at his reflection in the mirror. 

"Damn, I would kill for to have this tan during winter." 

* * *

That day Pete headed over to the Jent's to hang out with Clark in the loft. He knocked on the screen door and waited for a response. The door was unlocked so he let himself in. 

"Clark, you here man?" 

He heard rustling upstairs. Then heavy footfalls walking to and fro and then come bounding down stairs. 

Clark slowed as he neared the bottom of the stairs fooling around with something in his red backpack. 

"Hey man, I knocked. Nobody answered." 

Clark looked up at Pete wide-eyed. 

"I thought we'd hang around today. You know since we have an off day of crime fighting," Pete noticed that Clark making wasn't eye contact. He asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice, "What are you up to?" 

"Mm going to Metropolis for the day...with Lex." 

"What?" 

Clark looked like he was carefully deciding what words to use next, "Well, Lex asked me Monday if I wanted to go to Metropolis this Friday, and I said yes," Clark finished the comment smiling brightly. 

"I thought we decided we weren't going to make any major changes in the episodes." 

"Well, you should talk. You got Whitney's cookies." 

"How did you...?" 

Clark cut him off, "This town is called 'Small'-ville, duh." 

"Clark, you are not leaving this house, do you hear me?" 

A car pulled up and honked, "BEEP, BEEP!" 

"What's that?" 

"Lex." 

"Oh. Wait, where do you think you're going?" 

Clark was walking out the door with his backpack over his shoulder. 

"With Lex. Bye Pete." 

".....ah.." 

"Oh, before I forget, have fun tomorrow." 

* * *

The trip to Metropolis was a blast. Lex let Clark pick the radio station, and they listened to a Q101-like radio station that played alt-rock such as Queens of the Stone Age, Coldplay, Linkin Park, 311, and Foo Fighters. 

Apparently, Marc had the same preference for music, because Lex didn't bat an eyelash when he finally kept the radio tuned to that station. But Lex did find it curious that Marc had trouble finding the station at all. 

"So Marc, what do want to do?" 

"Anything as long as I get to hang out with you." Clark couldn't believe he'd said something so sappy...well out loud. The good thing was that Lex quirked a smile. Ah, Clark's heart started going a pitter patter, and smiled right back. 

"Is there anything in particular you want to do?" 

"No, not really." 

It was barely noticeable, but Lex hesitated before asking his next question, "How about we head over to the concert festival in Hamilton Square? They have a fireworks display at eight." 

"Sure." 

At this, Lex pulled over to the side of the road and examined Clark up and down. Clark felt a like bug held under a magnifying glass. 

"Marc, tell me something. When you saved my life that day on the bridge, did I run You over?" 

"What?" 

"Did I run you over?" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Because to me you look like that guy, but something's different. What's different Marc?" 

Strike that. A bug being dissected. A gross, big gooey one. "Nothing." 

"Don't lie to me, and I know this isn't you on something again. I can tell. Much as I hate to admit it, that Marc usually bruises my ego and...you don't. "Lex quirked a smile and started shaking his head, "I don't like that other Marc very much." 

Clark agreed by shaking his head and cracking a timid smile, "Me neither." 

Lex asked again, "So what is it?" 

Clark wasn't sure what to tell Lex. 'Hi, I'm from an alternate universe where your life is a tv show. All the pain and sorrow you've lived through and continue to experience is thought up by the writers of the show. Your angst is there for our enjoyment, and broadcast all over the world. I know tons of stuff about your past, present and future. I know the things you keep from Marc and hide from your father since I'm a fan of said show... Oh and did I forget to mention that I have a huge crush on you.' 

"Lex I like you a lot. You are an incredible guy, really. The reason I seem different is because I am." 

"Well, that clears it all up." Lex replied sarcastically. 

"No, wait, I not finished." 

"Lex...I..ah..Lex...I'm from a paral-, no...I'm from an alternate universe." 

Whatever Lex expected Clark to say that apparently wasn't it. Lex intelligently asked, "...huh?" 

After properly composing himself, Lex started speaking again. This time in a calm, composed, utterly cool voice, "So are you telling me that the reason you can't find the radio station you usually listen to is because you come from an 'alternate universe.'" 

"Yeah," Clark brighten, but then asked uncertain,"You believe me?" 

"You forget. We live in Smallville, and to answer your question about whether I believe you or not...We'll see." 

"So what are we going to do?" 

"Go out. Have fun, while you tell me everything you know." 

"Should I be worried that you'll use Sodium pentothal on me....Rufees." Clark blushed when he realised what he'd added as an afterthought. Clark just hoped to God he didn't sound hopeful when he'd said it. 

"Uh. No. Whoever you are, you remind me much too of Marc to let myself even consider doing that, even if you are his doppelganger...Yet." That last word seemed to hang over the both of them. "Though, good suggestion." 

"Thank you." 

Lex's eyebrows shot up. "Why?" 

Clark shrugged, struggling to place in words what he felt...relief....gratitude...hope. "For giving me the benefit of the doubt, and I suppose if I were in your position...I guess I wouldn't be as nice about it." 

"Who said I was going to be nice about it?" When that, Lex brought the Ferrari Spyder to life and it roared its way toward Metropolis. 

* * *

Lex parked the Ferrari in the LexCorp office parking and headed toward a limo waiting for them out front. Clark continued to feel buggy. The way Lex was studying him was unnerving to say the least. Everything Lex knew about Marc, he seemed to compare and contrast with Clark. 

"So how about we go over to this cafe I know? It's called Iberia and has some splendid Spanish dishes." 

"That sounds great." 

"Good, let's go then." 

They took a table in the garden of the upscale restaurant. It was on the outskirts of Metropolis which accounted for the abundant verdant scenery all around them. The patrons of this restaurant were given two options. Dine at the restaurant located in the East Wing of the restored Mansion that made Aureole in New York seem like a McDonald's drive thru or eat in the West Wing. The West Wing was the cafe Iberia. Outside the gardens were modeled after the mazes found in English gardens. The maze pockets were shaped large enough to accommodate large parties and small enough to accommodate intimate gatherings. In a handsome round shaped room of foliage Lex began his interrogation. 

"So who are you?" 

"Clark Kent." 

"Nice name. Rhymes with Marc Jent." 

So it did. Clark frowned, 'Why hadn't he ever noticed that before? I wonder...Clark Jerome Kent....Marc Kynton Jent.' 

"What do you do?" 

"I'm a student in high school. I'm a junior." 

"Where do you hail from young squire?" 

"Ah Chicago." 

"Nice. Do you like it there?" 

"I do." 

"With whom do you live?" 

"My foster parents. The Schribners." 

"What happened to your parents?" 

"They died three and half years ago. " 

"I'm sorry to hear that." 

"S'okay." 

"Let's get down to it. How did you get here and what do you know about me, the Jents, Smallville, and any other tidbit you might feel compelled to add." 

"Where I come from this world of yours is a popular tv show. It was modeled after a famous comic book that came out in the nineteen thirties and has been popular ever since. Then it kind of morphed over into cartoon series, movies, and tv shows. This is the latest tv show I've seen based off the comic and I...I mean I'm a fan of the show...of you...your character. I got here with some help and I'm pretty certain I have a way back, but I didn't want to leave without getting to know you first." 

"A show from a comic book, huh?" Lex grinned, but didn't seem to be buying his story. He was smirking incredulously and shaking his head,"Well am I at least the lead." 

Clark hesitated before answering, fearing Lex was a step away from ordering him thrown into a padded cell for the rest of his life. "Almost...It's an assemble show really, but with three lead characters." 

"Let me guess? The lovely and sweet Lana Lang, the debonair Lex Luthor, and last but not least, the enigmatic Marc Jent." Lex started laughing and shrugged, "Well is the show at least good." 

Lex didn't believe him. He was just sitting there looking at him with mock interest. The dilemma was that Clark didn't know whether to say, 'Just kidding, why I'm really different is because....' or to try and convince Lex he was telling the truth. 

Clark nodded, "Yeah, it's great." 

"And how exactly do you know you're from an 'alternate universe' and what are you planning to do while you're here?'" 

Clark sat pensive for a second before speaking, "After I got here I began thinking about what I knew about parallel universes and alternate dimensions.... mostly stuff I remember from Sliders episodes." Lex quirked another smile. "Well, it occurred to me that I could use my knowledge of future episodes and future events to help improve some things that happen here. I figured because this was an alternate universe that if I changed things here, it would only affect this universe. Like it wouldn't affect the show in my universe. After all, it's a tv show with creators, writers, actors, directors. All independent variables." 

Lex had an 'okay I'll play along' look on his face, "You forget though. You are you, Clark Kent, and not Marc Jent. When you leave, he'll be back in control and may and may not act the way you'd hope he would. Also, once you change things in this universe, you'll be setting events in motion into an alternate direction. Just because you improve a situation that occurs in the near future, you may also be making events in the future worse by your interference." 

Clark looked horrified. "God, I didn't think of that." 

"What I want to know is what it is you're hoping to change." 

Clark replied non committedly, "A few big things. A few small ones." 

"I have to say I'm intrigued. This isn't an everyday occurrence or conversation, despite the fact that we preside in Smallville. What is the name of the show, anyway...might I ask?" 

"Smallville." 

Lex looked appalled, "And people watch it?" 

"Oh yes. It's the highest rated show on the WB." Clark grinned, "But of course, you'd expect no less." 

Lex nodded in agreement and took a sip of his cognac. Deep in thought, he began rolling the tumbler back and forth along the palm and fingertips of his hand. 

Lex sat pensive, head down, unconsciously rolling the tumbler back and forth. Finally, Lex stopped and looked up, "I want proof." 

Clark didn't know if it was wise. He didn't know if he should offer it or keep Lex wondering. "No." His reply was soft spoken, barely audible. 

"Why not?" 

"Like you said, I maybe making things worse. May have all ready." 

"Clark.." Lex extended his hands, palms up, and shrugged,"think of it this way, 'In for a penny, in for a pound.'" 

Perhaps he'd set this universe towards annihilation the second he stepped into it. He was dealing with Lex Luthor after all: Head of the bad dudes in Justice Friends...foil in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman....Super cool villain in the animated WB cartoon series and Justice League...fucking awesome as the oh so ambiguous prequel of the evil mastermind in Smallville...what was a kid from the Land of Lincoln, who also had a crush on said sexy bald bad ass villain, to do? 

Clark pursed his mouth, then bit his lower lip and began tapping his lip with his index finger, 'What to do indeed?' 

"You know Devilicus, and how he and Warrior Angel where friends before they became arch nemesis?" Lex nodded. "Well, that's what happens to you and Marc. You become enemies." 

Lex sat stock still processing this new bit of information. "How exactly are we enemies? Do you mean with super powers and all? And let me guess, I'm Devilicus to Marc's Warrior Angel and we battle each other while the world gets caught in the middle." 

"Pretty much." 

"To which part?" 

"All of it actually." 

".......Mm?" 

"Is that all you're gonna say 'mm.'" 

"What do you want me to say." 

"....I don't know....Mm." 

"Yes, mm." 

"Well, I don't know what to say okay. I'm rattled now. I'm afraid each step I take now brings us closer to DOOM." 

"That a little melodramatic, don't you think?" 

"I'm entitled." 

"I suppose, mm." 

"Will you stop with the mm-ing." 

The situation was too preposterous to start with and now it was getting down right silly. Clark and Lex both were struggling to keep a straight face, but for Clark the temptation to laugh his ass off was too great. Once the flood gates broke, Lex and Clark became a mass of hysterical giggling. Their waiter terrified by the sight of Lex Luthor giggling ran for the manicured hills as far as possible as fast as possible. 

"Ha...ah..Clark, what to do, what to do ?" 

"Can I kiss you?" 

Lex sobered quickly. "I don't think that would be wise." 

"Okay..had to ask..you know." 

"No, I don't." 

Clark simply shrugged, "I've just had this...crush on you. Can't leave without at least asking." 

"Clark, if what you're telling me is true, then you know a lot of thing about me. Things I would never admit to under penalty of death. Why in the hell would you go and do a thing like that?" 

"What my having a crush on you? It's pretty easy. Your incredible. " Lex scoffed, "Okay, something I like best about you is that you're so complex. You have a good heart and want to be a good person like Marc, but you're also sinister and dark and you're always battling with the darker tendencies of your soul. That's one of the things that's so appealing about you. You're a bad ass, but you're not evil y.." Clark cut himself off, "Besides, you're beautiful..." 

Lex chuckled, "Stop Clark, you're making me blush." 

"Okay, so you're not a conventional pretty boy, but you have something better. You have charisma and presence, and indescribable qualities that accentuate your unusual brand of beauty a hundred fold. You're not like Marc and I like that. I mean sure you both have your secrets, but he's hasn't had to struggle to maintain his identity as much as you have up until now. You're a survivor, and the fact that you're still you after all this time...is an act of sheer will power. Who wouldn't be attracted to you." 

"Why gosh golly Clark Kent. That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." Lex was smiling ebulliently at Clark. 

Clark blushed fire engine red. "You know I like it when you blush. It's incredible to see your face flush with that bashful expression on your face. If anything, you have that in common with the Marc I know." 

Clark's blush deepened. 

"You want to get out of here?" 

Clark nodded. 

"I don't feel like being driven, but we came in the limo. How about I call ahead and have my office drop off a car and we'll go driving around? Maybe head over to the Shark's game?" 

"Sure. " 

"I just don't know which car I feel like driving." Lex knitted his brows in concentration trying to decide this question for the ages. 

Clark started giggling again, to time silently to himself. 

"What?" 

The giggling turned to guffaws. 

"Ah, mmm, I was thinking that you're the only person I've ever known who has ever had that problem." 

"Yeah, is that right?" 

"Mm hm." 

"Smart ass." 

"Mm hm." 

Lex made the call. Ten minutes later, Lex was informed by the Matre'D that their car had arrived. 

"Ready to go." 

After Clark nodded, they got up and headed towards the valet. 

"Oh, hello Lex. I see you brought your little friend too. How are you Marc?" 

"Fine, thanks for asking." 

"And how is your friend Ms. Sullivan?" 

"Fine, too. Why do you ask?" 

"No reason in particular." Lionel nodded toward Lex, "I know that Lex finds Ms. Sullivan's newspaper a useful resource to explain Smallville's..ah..unique attributes. I would just hate to see it in any sort of trouble." 

"I don't expect there to be any. She seems to be doing fine, but if anything were to happen to her... I'll make sure she's taken care of and that whatever or whoever's responsible gets what's coming." 

"Clark, I didn't know you had a flare for the dramatic. You've been spending too much time with my son. He has always let his emotions dictate his actions, when he knows a wiser man keeps his emotions in check and never in plain view of their enemies." 

"Are you implying that I'm in the presence of an enemy?" 

"Of course not, but one should always be cautious. Being overly emotional is a weakness men in power don't have the luxury to afford." 

"Thank you for the compliment, but I've always believed there is fine line between having your emotions under control and not having any at all." 

Lionel knitted his brows trying to track down what compliment he'd unknowingly given Clark, and Clark couldn't help the grin pulling up at the corners of his mouth. 

"If you'll excuse us dad, but we were on our way out." 

Lionel seemed to register their presence again, and stood oozing haughtiness, "That's unforunate. I was just about to invite you two to dine with me." 

"Thank you, we already ate." 

"Where are you two headed?" 

Lex answered, "At the moment, we're headed to the Shark's game." 

"The Luthor private box or is young Marc here trying to talk you into sitting with the commoners." 

"We haven't decided yet. We must be going. Always a pleasure, dad. " 

Lionel nodded, "Lex. Marc." 

After they'd gotten into Lex's car, Lex turned to Clark. "What was that all about?" 

Clark grimaced and bit his lip. "Sorry Lex. It's just I've always wondered what it would be like to go toe to toe with your father. Hope I didn't make a fool of myself." 

"No, you didn't, but I'm surprised. Not many would even dare to verbally spar with him even if he is just a fictional character to you... Don't sell yourself short." 

Clark grinned and shrugged, "I was on the Debate team in junior high." 

Lex shook his head and laughed, "You're too much, man." 

Clark shook his head and said to himself, "I'm a fucked up version of a Mary Sue if I ever saw one." 

"Are we headed toward the Shark's game then?" 

"Nah, how do you feel about heading back to the Penthouse and watching some movies?" 

Clark let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "Sounds cool. I sort of didn't want your dad knowing where we were going to be. Not that it would be hard for him to find out, but you know?" 

"Yeah, I do." 

Listening to Pink Floyd on the way to the Penthouse, they sung, "All in all, you're just another brick in the wall'....'all in all, you're just another brick in the wall'...'No dark sarcasm in the classroom'....'Hey teacher leave those kids alone.'" 

They sped into the parking garage and Lex did an impressive three-point turn reversing into the parking spot at sixty miles per hour. 

Clark laughed as he got out of the car, "Now that was cool." 

When they got to the Penthouse, Clark's jaw literally dropped. The place was huge. I mean huge, like really really huge. At this point, Clark's entire lexicon consisted of three words: huge, and holy cow. 

The castle was probably huge, but what do you expect with a castle. This is a private residence in the heart of Metropolis, not an isolated dusty manor in the middle of corn country. 

Lex grabbed a remote and closed the vertical blinds blocking out the mid afternoon sun. 

"Clark, pick a movie." 

Clark stood around in the space between the home entertainment center and the black leather sofas. 

"Lex." With his hands in his back pockets and his gaze averted to the floor, Clark continued only to shuffle his feet on the rug and wait for Lex to reply. 

"Yeah, Clark." 

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but when is the second half of the interrogation going to begin. Don't get me wrong. I love hanging out with you, but I know we've going to get to it eventually. I just don't like it hanging over my head in the meantime. Kind of puts a wet rag on the mood." 

"Clark. Right now. At this second, I don't care, and it's for purely selfish reasons I'm not bringing it up. Do you know why?" 

Clark shook his head, "I like hanging out with you too." 

Clark looked at Lex suspiciously, "I don't understood." 

Lex grinned, but then gazed at Clark with an earnest expression of his face, "You remind me of Marc when I'd first met him. He didn't care about my reputation and wanted to be my friend for friendship's sake. I suspect you know more about my past than I've told Marc and also what heinous things, probably a hundred times worse, I'm capable of doing in the future. But you're still here. I can't keep you here if you want to leave. And from what I do know for certain about Marc, if you possess the same abilities, I'm guessing you can easily escape out of my clutches if you wanted to." 

"Am I that much like him?" 

"Tell you the truth if it wasn't for the subtle differences, I wouldn't have suspected a thing. That and the fact that I don't see that glint of suspicion in your eyes when I speak with you. I see it more and more each and every time I speak with Marc nowadays. It may be weariness I see in your eyes, but from what we've talked about about, I understand and I can live with that. Besides, I don't know how to reconcile this bit of information, but I know you are a hell of a lot better looking than the Marc I know." 

Clark's cheek's were on fire. "No I'm not." 

"Clark, it the truth, but it's not only that. Something about that other Marc didn't sit well with me, and I didn't notice it was there until it was gone. Now, it's like coming home being with you, safe and protected." 

Clark was dumbfounded. 'Whoa.' He could have been knocked over with a feather at that moment...and no superpowers required. 

"Clark?" 

"Yeah." 

"So what movie do you want to watch?" 

"How about 'Pirates of the Caribbean?'" 

"Cool." 

Throughout the movie, Lex would eat popcorn and during the daring swordfights, he would lean over close to Clark and say, "I can do that. Oh, I can definitely do that. Hm, I don't know...no...I can do that too." 

"Hm, it would be cool to do that. I want to learn." 

"Stick around and I'll show you." 

"I don't know and it's not my decision alone. It could be like that Star Trek episode." 

"Original series or Next Gen?" 

"Original Series." 

"Ah, 'All Our Yesterdays.'" 

"How did you know? I could have been talking about 'The City on the Edge of Forever or I don't know 'Assignment: Earth?'" 

"Easy. 'Earth doesn't apply. 'City' deals with altering a set timeline and not changing the set course of history. 'Yesterdays' isn't concerned with that. I suspect what you're thinking about is the bit about how McCoy couldn't go through the barrier without Spock coming with him too. Am I right?" 

"Yeah, you are." 

"Well, of course, I am." 

"Then why ask?" 

"Validation, I suppose." 

"Mm." 

"Don't start with the mm-ing again." 

"Well, if memory serves me correctly, you were the one that started it the last time. So what do you think? About me not having a choice whether to leave or not, I mean?" 

"Just tell me who it is and I'll put him in shackles...I mean I'll persuade him to stay." 

"Why do you even care?" 

"Dude, you are such a girl." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Just believe me when I say I want to keep you around." 

"Did I make that great of a first impression?" Clark proceeded to give Lex an eat shit grin. 

Lex smacked his head and looked at Clark like he'd just had an epiphany, "Yeaaah, that's it." 

"Cool. Just checking." 

"Clark..." but Lex was interrupted. Clark held his index finger to his lips, "Shooo, Lex, I'm trying to watch the movie." 

Lex grinned, "Okay, I'll be quiet." 

* * *

That night, Lex drove them back to get Clark home in time for his curfew. When they came to a stop in front of the house, Lex asked, "How about having dinner with me tomorrow night at the castle?" 

Clark stood beside the car to put his backpack on his shoulder and was now squatting by the Ferrari speaking to Lex through the open window. "Sounds good. You know what I said about changing a few things I intended to do before I left." 

Lex nodded. 

"I'm gonna try one tomorrow morning." 

"Need any help?" 

Clark looked bashful, "I might." 

"Look Clark, don't worry, if you need my help, just ask, I'll be there." 

Clark laughed softly to himself. 

"What?" Lex asked with some resentment. 

"Nothing, it's just, I was thinking about how many times you've said those words to Marc. It feels good to have them said to me." 

Abashed, Lex replied, "Oh." 

"And thank you for the offer, I'll keep it in mind." 

"Good. So I'll see you tomorrow night?" 

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away." 

* * *

Pete couldn't stop fidgeting. The nervousness he felt approaching his date with Lana was made a hundred times worse with worry. He was worried the more time he and Clark spent here, the chances increased that they'd screw up the space time continuum in this place...or at least that was the closest thing he could think of to describe the it he was concerned about. 

But Pete couldn't deny it, it felt great being Dave Rows. Even though he didn't look like the actor who played him, he was treated like family by the Rows. Okay, technically, he was family. But what's significant was that he felt he was part of the family and comfortable being with them. It was an added bonus that he was actually going on a date with Lana. The fact that he got to drive Dave's 1964 Ford Falcon was just gravy. 

Dave's older brothers came over to pick on him, Sam and Bill especially. Mike helped him with his Algebra, and they all, including Kathy, Dave's older sister, came over Sunday night to have dinner together. 

The Schribner's were great, but it wasn't the same. Pete could relate and interact with the Rows on a much deeper level than he ever could with the Schribners. It was the little differences that always made Pete feel not completely at ease with the Schribners. As much as the Schribners tried to dissuade the feeling, it was always there for Pete. 

Pete took the Falcon along side the O'Leary's fence and parked a reasonable distance from the house and closer to the pasture. When he got out, he waved at Janson O'Leary, head of the household and walked toward a large, ancient Weeping Willow located a little on to the pasture grounds. There he saw Lana. She looked up at him and smiled, "Hey." 

"Hi." Pete jumped the wooden fence separating the road and pasture, and jogged towards her the rest of the way, "I'm not late am I?" 

"No. You're just on time. I was barely setting out the blanket and food. Do you mind getting the glasses from the picnic basket?" 

"No. Not at all." The day was bright and sunny, and the tree's large branches were weaving to and fro. The only sound they heard around them was the wind rustling through the tree's dreadlocks as they worked together side by side. 

They ate sandwiches, a bag of Doritos, and two slices of carrot cake Lana had packed, and drank iced tea she'd brought in a large thermos. 

"How's the food?" 

"Great. I wasn't sure if I should have brought something, but this is all great." 

Lana beamed, "Thank you." 

"Where did you get this carrot cake? It's awesome. Better than Webbers." 

"Webbers?" 

"Oh, it's a bakery I know..in Metropolis." 

"Wow. Mm, thank you. That's quite a compliment." 

"You made this?" Pete said with awe in his voice. 

Lana's smiled and nodded,"Yeah." 

"Do you know there's a saying, 'The way to man's heart is through his stomach.' I'm starting to think it's true." 

Lana looked uncomfortable so Pete quickly changed the subject, "You know I always wondered what was in carrot cake. Besides whoever thought of making a cake out of carrots?" 

Pete knew he most have sounded ridiculous. His face was scutched up as he contemplated the existence of cake made with carrots, but it got a laugh out of Lana. 

"I don't know who thought of it, but I'm glad they did." 

"It's my favorite so I'm happy about it too." 

"You know Whitney never cared much for it, he doesn't like coffee crumb cake either." 

"Have you talked to him lately?" 

"Yeah, yesterday. We talked about our time together and what we had in mind for the future. He's doing good. He's decided to stay in the Marines. He's taking a job at Fort Myer next fall, and he's going to stick around, help his mom out with the store this Spring and Summer." 

"What about you? Do you think you'll ever get back together?" 

"No. We talked it over. He's ready to move on. I guess...I was wrong to string him along. I don't know if you can tell, but I got some abandonment issues. But we agreed that we wanted to stay friends. I think it's for the best. As for the future, I want to run the Talon and turn it into a coffee chain, but that's the forty year plan. Short term plans aren't as lucid right now. How about you?" 

"To tell you the truth, I barely know what I'm going to do ten hours from now let alone ten years. I know that I love comic books, astronomy and sports. Who knows, maybe I'll find a career in one of the three." 

"That sounds like a good place to start. Come, I want you to meet Bessie." 

Lana got up and led Pete to a large, golden brown cow with slight horns on her head. Pete approached the barn yard animal with extreme caution. The closest Pete had ever gotten to a cow was at the petting zoo in Lincoln Park. To Pete, this was a wild, dangerous animal that could probably rip his head off in a Mad Cow rage. 

"Come on, don't be scared. Here, you can pet her." Lana took Pete's hand and brushed it across her back. 

Bessie started sniffing Pete up and down which made him extremely apprehensive. 'What the hell was I thinking? Can cows smell fear?' 

Bessie, then started nuzzling her nose into the palm his hand. "See she likes you." 

Pete said slightly tense, "This is so cool." 

Pete saw a flash of bright white teeth and quickly pulled his hand away. 

"Mm thank you. I mean for introducing me to Bessie. I think I'll just go stand over there for now." 

Lana smiled incredulously, "You're scared of Bessie aren't you?" 

"Mm. Well, truthfully, yes." 

"Don't you have large animals on your land?" 

"Yeah, but they're dogs. I'm used to dogs, but not to animals this...Mm big." 

"Well, don't worry, if Bessie had started stampeding towards you, I'd of protected you." Lana teased. 

Pete laughed,"Mm maybe I should have lied." 

Lana took his hand. "No, no, I'm sorry for teasing, but I'm glad you that you told me the truth. I guess I'm not used to it." 

Pete looked at his hand being held in Lana's smaller one. "Then, I promise never to lie to you." 

"Thanks. Come on, lets walk around the grounds." 

"Sure. Lead the way, milady." 

Lana curtsied, "Ah thank you, good sir." 

* * *

Clark walked up to Chloe's door and knocked. Chloe looked surprised when she opened the door. 

"Marc. To what do I owe this pleasure?" 

"I..." 

"Oh, oh of course, you came to see the lovely Ms. Lana Lang. Sorry to disappoint you, but she's not here." 

"I know. I came to see you." 

"Oh!" 

"Can we go somewhere and talk?" 

Chloe's face was comical, wided-eyed and with her mouth in the shape of a gaping 'O,' she responded on auto pilot, "Sure. Let me grab my keys." 

They drove to Smallville Elementary school. They went to the nearby playground and sat side by side on the swing set. Chloe was swinging her legs a little back and forth. She was a bundle of nervous energy. She knew whatever Marc had to say, it was big...and most likely bad. 

"Chloe, I know you've been working for Lionel. That you've been investigating me, my past, my family and handing Lionel reports of your findings." 

Chloe's eyes were tearing up, and she erupted into a mournful plea for forgiveness "I'm so sorry Marc. I was so mad at you the day of Lex's wedding to Helen that I...I never meant to do it...accept Luthor's offer. I know you'll probably never forgive me, but I can't tell you how sorry I am." 

Chloe was crying in earnest now. "I'm so sorry. I'm been trying to back out of the deal ever since I realized what I did. He hasn't let me. He's been blackmailing me promising to reveal what I've done to you. Then two days ago Lionel promised that if I tested out the affects the meteor rocks had on you, and documented the results he'd let me go no strings attached." 

Clark all ready knew all this. Lionel did finally convince Chloe to carry out the test and documented the violent reaction Marc had to the meteor rocks. Lionel, however, did not let her leave his service as promised without fucking her life up first. Instead he leaked what she'd been doing to the Jents and Marc had ostracized her ever since. 

"Chloe, it's okay. I want to help you, but I need you to know something. Chloe, You'll always be my friend. I will always look out for you and believe me when I say that I love you, but I'm not in love with you. You deserve better than what I give you and that you have every right to be angry with me, but making a deal with Lionel is like making a pact with the devil." 

During Clark's semi-planned speech, Chloe facial expressions changed from abject grief, relief, hope, anger, indignation, and last, resignation. 

"I know that you're working for him so don't let Lionel's threat about telling me scare you." 

"Marc, when he asked me to do the test. I was worried, but it sounded easy like one quick shot and I'm through. I kind of knew you might be allergic to the meteor rocks, but I swore I would take them away if you started showing signs of anaphylatic shock." 

"Chloe, they can kill me." 

"What? Oh my God, Marc." 

"I have a violent allergic reaction to them and Lionel wants to find out everything about me so that he can hurt me to get to Lex and use me against him." 

Chloe sniffled and dabbed her eyes with tissue from her pursue. "Sheesh. It almost sounds like you two...ARE YOU TWO, YOU KNOW?" 

"Chloe calm down." 

"Calm down. Do you know what this means?" 

"Ah no." 

"That I don't drive all men away. You just might be gay and you're projecting your feelings on to the girl people would expect you to like. Is it, huh, is it, please say yes." 

"Maybe you and Dave should lay off Psychology for a while. You're over analysing everything over little ole' me..." Chloe didn't bugde. She wanted an answer. "Okay, were not, but I do have strong..um..feelings for him if it'll make you feel any better to know." 

"Is it just Lex or are you attracted to any other guy?" 

"No. Just Lex. Happy?" 

"Immensely. But?" 

Clark's expressive brows knit together, "But what?" 

"Well I was just thinking wretchedly that there goes another hot guy that turns out to be gay." 

"Shut up, Chloe. Besides, I not gay, it's just Lex I'm into remember," Clark said laughingly. "Chloe is it okay if I continue to repress my sexuality and continue to date Lana." 

"You know. I actually wouldn't mind. Deep down, I'd be sitting there watching you two together and thinking, 'Poor, poor Lana. She just a poor man's Lex.'" Chloe was shaking her head. 

Clark grinned, "Well, I'm glad you're taking the news so well." 

"How about you? I lied to you, reported to Lionel things I found out about you...to Lionel Luthor for fuck's sake." 

"I'll get over it...eventually." 

"Really?" 

"Yes. It'll take thousand's of dollars in therapy, but yeah... Is it okay if I send you the bill?" 

"All the good that'll do you. Scene: you in the shrink's office, 'Marc, how do you feel about Lex Luthor?...Mm sorry I can't tell you that....Marc, where do you go when you leave my office in such a hurry?...Sorry, can't tell you that either...Mark, what do...'" 

Clark cut her off. "Okay. Okay, fugetabatit." 

"Well, you don't have to be so mysterious all the time." 

* * *

He'd done his chores that morning before he left to meet Chloe so he was surprised when Jonathon started interrogating him when he passed the through on barn on his way towards the loft. 

"Where have you been all morning?" 

"Why? I did all my chores before I left...I met Chloe at the park, and we just hung out? 

Jonathon looked visibly relieved. "Oh, no reason. I know you did your chores, but I was just worried." 

Clark smiled at his 'dad.' His 'dad' was worried about him, then Clark remembered about dinner. Martha had said it was okay so long as he finished all his chores and told his dad before he leaving, "Um, dad, I won't be home for dinner. I going to Lex's." 

Jonathon stabbed the hay with his pitchfork. "Marc, we let you go to Metropolis yesterday with Lex even though I was reluctant to even let you do go. Marc I don't want you going. You've hardly been home these past three days and I want you home this weekend." 

"What?" Clark was looking at Jonathon incredulously. He was shocked the intensity of anger Jonathon was suddenedly emanating, then he remembered. "No, just admit it. You wouldn't care if it were Dave or Lana or Chloe I was hanging out with. Anyone, but Lex. Look, dad, I love you and I know you're only doing what you think is best and I respect your opinion, but I can't stand the way you treat Lex." 

"Marc..." Jonathon was shocked. His son hardly ever took a decisive stance against him where Lex was concerned. 

Clark was doing his best to calm down. "Dad, you're always putting Lex down or going on about a Luthor is a Luthor is a Luthor. I know it's not as bad as it used to be, but dad sometimes your ire and hatred for all things Luthor keep you from seeing Lex for who he is without seeing Lionel and what he did to you." 

"Marc you don't understand. Lex has been raised by Lionel and no matter how much you think you know him and think you can trust him. He will one day make you regret you ever had anything to do with a Luthor just as I have." 

"Dad, but you're not helping him change from what Lionel's tried so hard to make him into. You're just speeding up the process. If you treat him like everyone does with distrust and suspicion...Can't you see how much we mean to him? We're his last hope. If we can't help him change, then nothing is going to stop him from becoming Lionel and a hundreds times worse at that." 

"And what is it you want me to do, welcome him into the Jent family? Invite him to dinner every Sunday? Act like we don't all know his father is evil incarnate?" 

"Well yeah...all except for that last one." 

"What good will that do?" 

"Don't you see? We have to make him value our respect, affection, good opinion for him to the point that he'll live in fear of losing it. He'll screw up. He'll lie about screwing up, but if we make him fess up, he'll eventually get it right. We have to act as his conscious for him until he gets his own." 

"That's another reason I don't like you hanging out so much with Lex. You should hear yourself. You're talking about a person's feelings like it's a pawn on a chess board, manipulating them to your advantage. And do you honestly believe he cares that much about my good opinion. Marc, he only puts up with be because from his perspective, 'You're an extraordinary boy.' He's interested in your abilities and how to use them for his gain and his father's loss." 

"Dad you're wrong. It's more than that." 

"That's all it is. Besides you should hear what people say all ready about you spending so much time with Lex. I even overheard someone use the word catamite to describe your relationship at Fordmen's." 

Clark was surprised, he didn't know Kansas, rural folk had ever heard the word, "Did you beat the person up?" 

"I would have, but whoever said it was gone by the time I got around the aisle and worse I couldn't recognize the voice." 

Clark grinned. 'Cool, he going to fight defending my honor. lol' 

"Dad believe me when I tell you that at this point in Lex's life, our influence is the most important factor keeping him from turning to the Dark side, but it's slipping little by little and we have to act now. In just a few short years, we won't have any at all and it'll be too late." 

Jonathon looked skeptical. 

"Okay do you want proof?" Jonathon nodded, "Okay, Dad, remember when we all thought Lex had died after his plane crashed. After Helen and the plane's crew were rescued, do you remember how she was mourning her husband's death to the press and privately rejoicing over the money she got upon his death. Well, when Lex was rescued and returned, he discovered that Helen and Victoria Hardwick had joinedforces to murder him and take his money. They'd planned to sell LexCorp to Lionel and split the profits. He could have easily had them both killed. I know. He loved Helen and she betrayed him. Can you imagine how damaging that is? But he took all the evidence he had gathered and handed it over to the cops. You know what saved him when he was stranded in that lifeboat, you know what kept him from committing murder...it was the compass you gave him. That's how much influence you have over him." 

* * *

Clark came by the castle around six that afternoon. 

"Hello?" Clark yelled as he walked through the cavernous halls of the first floor. He'd tried out 'squeezing through the bars' which he did successfully, but he had no idea where the famed study was located. He used his x-ray vision to locate Lex, but found him somewhere on the second floor. Clark was surprised that he couldn't find a servant in sight. It was funny because he was looking forward to meeting Enrique. 'Mm I suppose the servants wouldn't know I was here if I snuck in on my own.' 

"Clark?" Lex called down from upstairs. 

"Yeah." 

"You're here. Great. Just make yourself at home. I'll be down in a sec." 

It took Clark five seconds to find the study at last, but without super speed he would have been at it for half an hour at least. He'd open the door to a room, look in, it wouldn't be it, then he'd close it and go on to the next door. 

When he did finally find it, he began was fidgeting. He'd sit for a second on the couch, rub his hands together. Run his fingers through his hair, check his breathe, 'Did I brush, yeah, okay.' He'd get up and walk around, look at picture frames. 

He jumped when Lex walked in. 

"Hey. Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." 

"No," Clark's voice cracked, "No, not at all. I mean it's okay." Clark was dying inside. 'Why am I acting like such a dork.' "So what were you doing?" 

Lex cleared his throat, "Just a business call I had to make." 

"Really?" 

"Why?" 

"No reason." 

"Okay. I couldn't decide what to wear." 

Clark smiled brightly at Lex, 'That's so sweet and ah, he's blushing.' Clark checked out Lex's exquisite outfit, "You look really nice," and blushed himself when Lex accepted the compliment with a dazzling smile. 

"How about we go into the dinning room and eat?" 

"Sounds great." 

The entire room was lit with candlelight. Fresh cut lavender orchids were in little glass vases spread out around the table. 

"Wow. This looks great. Is this for me?" 

"Yeah. Well, I figured this is the first time you've ever been to the castle and I didn't want you to leave without an excellent first impression." 

"Ah yes, well first impressions are important." 

"I'm sorry that I kept you waiting so long." 

"Don't worry about it." 

As they sat down, an elderly stately man entered with a silver tray laden with their first course. 

"Lex, you didn't have to go to all this trouble. " 

"Clark, believe me it was no trouble at all. So did you try to change anything?" 

"Yeah, I did. I think it went well." 

"Will you tell me?" 

Clark hesitated, "I helped Chloe out of a bad situation. I just hope it all works out." 

They ate in comfortable silence three separate courses, and were now waiting for their dessert. 

"So what did you think of the food?" 

"It was all incredible. I don't know how I'll be able to go back to meatloaf and microwave lasagna when I get back after this." 

"You know you don't have to, you can stay here. With me." 

Clark's eyebrows shot to his hairline. 

"Please pardon my interruption sir, but there is a phone call for Mr. Jent." The manservant came into the room with a phone in his grasp. 

"I said we were not to be disturbed. Can't it wait?" Lex said clearly vexed. 

"I'm sorry sir, but it's Ms. Sullivan and it sounds extremely urgent." 

"I'll take the call." The man servant bowed slightly and gave Clark the phone. 

Clark was weary about picking up the phone. Whatever she had called to say, he knew it wasn't good. 

"Marc. Are you there? I've been looking for you everywhere. Though, I guess it should have been my first guess, especially after what you told me this morning " Chloe's voice was strained and boarding on hysterical, then her voice started to breaklike she was doing her best to keep from sobbing. "Marc, I'm scared. I called Lionel. I told him that I didn't care if he told you the truth and that I wasn't spying for him anymore. Lionel, he was furious. He said that I'd regret my decision and now Principal Reynolds called and told me I'm thrown off the Torch Staff because of allegations from some dude saying I was embezzling the paper's money. I lost my internship with the Daily Planet...but I'm scared he's not through with me...he said something about my dad's health. Marc, I'm scared he's gonna hurt my dad. He's all I have. Please help me, I don't know what to do." 

"Chloe, where are you?" 

"Um I'm at the place where we were this morning. Will you please get here soon." 

"Okay. I'll head right over. Stay put, but if you see anybody suspicious coming towards you, leave immediately. I'll find you. Okay?" 

"Okay. Thank you Clark." Clark hung up the phone. 

"Lex, I gotta.." 

"I heard. I'm going with you." 

"Lex, no." 

"I told you I'd help. Now I'm doing it whether you want me to or not. I'll send security from the plant to Gabe's house. We'll go pick up Chloe and bring her here. Then we'll see about neutralizing the threat my dad poses to Ms. Sullivan or her father." 

When Clark got out of the car, he was frantically searching all over the place for Chloe. She wasn't on the swing set. 'Where is she?' He heard a twig break behind him by the edge of the woods and turned. Chloe came running towards him and hugged him fiercely, whispering in his ear, "Thank you for coming." 

"I'm just glad you're okay. Come on, let's get you to the out of here." 

"Cla..Chloe, my security team just reported that they have Gabe and that he's all right." 

When they got back to the castle, they walked Chloe to the couch in the study. "Here Chloe, even though I don't condone under aged drinking, you'll feel better after you drink this." He handed her a small glass of an amber liquid. "Right now, I'm messengering over a file to my father with some information he'd rather keep out of the media." 

"Then, what?" Chloe asked. 

"Then, we wait for my father to make the next move. In the meantime, why don't you join us for dessert?" 

Lex talked to Lionel and Clark only overheard some of what was said. Though he had better hearing now because of Marc's abilities, Clark guessed that Marc still hadn't developed the full extent of his super hearing. He did, however, hear snippets of conversion on Lex's side like, 'under my protection,' 'safe deposit box,' and some references to Greek mythology. 

In no time after the phone call, the allegations against Chloe were dropped and Lex made a few calls to the Daily Planet and spoke with aging senior editor, Kenneth Smear. Lex gave him a stirring pep talk about journalistic integrity, about not being puppets to corporate giants, and about not destroying the dreams of a very talented, young, up and coming reporter. Needless to say, Chloe got her internship spot back at the Daily Planet. But precautions were taken. Lex ordered LexCorp security to patrol Gabe's house in LexCorp's planned community and has given them a standing order to keep an eye after Gabe and his safety. 

Standing near the front door to the castle, Chloe gave Clark a brutal, heart felt hug, and affectionately whispered in his ear,"Thank you so much." She succeeded in doing the same to Lex much to his dismay. After that, Gabe shook Lex and Clark's hand, giving them his thanks, and then proceeded to take Chloe home. 

Lex rubbed his eyes, then ran his hand over his scalp. "What time is it?" 

Clark checked his watch. "It's 10: 43." 

"Do you want me to drive you home?" 

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stay longer. I called my dad and told him what happened. He said I could stay til 1." 

"You're kidding." 

"Nope." 

"What do you want to do?" 

Clark bit his lip. He was visibly hesitating about saying something, then it looked like he was building up his courage at last to say the words, "Make love to you." 

* * *

Lex was so stunned by what Clark had said that he couldn't think, just act. He only comprehended things happening to him. Strong arms holding him, sweet lips kissing him. He closed his eyes, but opened them immediately. It wasn't a dream. It was really happening. Finally, he registered that Clark wasn't only doing these wonderfully tantalizing things to him, he was doing them back. He was running his fingers through Clark's soft, black hair. He was touching and caressing Clark's jaw and dueling Clark's tongue with his own. His hands roamed down, slipping under Clark's shirt and savoring the feel of Clark's skin. Unbuttoning Clark's pants and zipping down the fly. Lex snaked a hand into Clark's pants and took his young lover's ass in his hands. Kneading and groping Clark's flesh, just needing to feel Clark to reassure him that this was happening. 

Clark and Lex's body were flush as they stood holding each other in the foyer. They stumbled toward the stairs, but tripped and banged into the wall before reaching the first step. 

Straddling Clark's lap on the first step, Lex took the lead guiding Clark in their kiss. Gently making love to Clark's mouth with his own then slowly increasing the tempo and intensity while his hands continued to explore Clark's body. Surveying it, savoring it, claiming it. Slowly Lex was undoing the buttons on Clark's shirt, then helping Clark out of it and tossing it aside on the stairs. Clark who was under Lex started scooting them up each step upstairs, pausing every once in a while when he'd get caught up in the rapture of their kissing. 

When they'd reached the top of the stairs. Clark pulled back. His face flushed and lips swollen from kissing. Clark huskily whispered to Lex, "Where's your bedroom?" 

Lex looked around surprised to realize they'd made it to the second floor. 

Lex hands continued to reverently touch Clark's chest, arms and torso, "Oh Gods, we should stop." Clark smiled and kissed the side of Lex's cheek near his ear, "No, really we should stop." Lex was breathing hard and his voice held not an ounce of conviction. What could Clark do, but keep kissing Lex. First on his brow, then his temple, and the scar on Lex's upper lip. 

Lex summoned all his resolve and pushed Clark away. But he would never have done it if he'd realized he have to see that hurt, you-kicked-my-puppy expression on Clark's face. 

"I'm sorry, Clark. I didn't mean it tha..." 

Clark got up. He seemed dazed, confused, but above all, hurt. "I sorry, Lex, I shouldn't have...I should go." Clark grabbed his shirt off the stairs and then hurriedly went down the stairs and out the door. 

* * *

Bright and early next morning, Pete met Clark at the loft. Leaving out the fact that he'd intentionally changed Chloe's fate among other things, he told Pete about coming on to Lex and ultimately getting rejected. 

"Oh, this is bad." Clark said pacing in front of the loft window. 

"What so bad, when we leave, things will eventually settle down?" 

"You're taking this surprisingly well. Weren't you the one who was so anal about not changing thing." 

"Oh, I'm not saying you didn't screw up, but I don't think it's irrevocable." 

Clark miserably asked, "So when do you want to leave? How about this afternoon" 

"We can't just leave. I don't recall Marc ever coming on to Lex in the series, do you?" 

"Well..." 

"No you don't. You have to go to Lex and tell him it was just a fluke, that you ate some bad clams and were a little out of your head." 

"Clams? If you haven't noticed, we're a bit land locked here. No we should just leave. Besides you shouldn't talk, I don't remember Dave dating Lana in the third season." 

"Excuse me, but we at least we know that Dave and Lana eventually get married." 

"Who knows, you could have all ready jeopardized that future." 

"Shut up. Just fix this and then we can go." 

"You're not going to admit it, are you? You just want spend more time with Lana?" 

"Yes, all right, you happy? At least I'm not whining about being shot down. As you recall, I didn't have that problem." 

Clark looked horrified, "You shut up, asshole." 

Pete grinned, "Okay, if it'll make you happy, we'll leave the day after tomorrow, but promise me you'll settle things with Lex." 

"All right." Clark answered petulantly. 

* * *

"Clark, I've been trying to get a hold of you all day. Where have you been?" Clark entered Lex's study and sat down in a chair in front of Lex's desk. There was worry and relief etched in Lex's voice as he greeted Clark. 

"Nowhere. I've just been sitting around thinking." 

"Do you want something to drink, can I get you anything?" 

"No. I'm okay. I came over here to apologize. I guess I came on too strong and just ended making a fool of myself. I'm sorry, but don't worry everything'll be back to normal by tomorrow. I'm leaving...please let me finish...I shouldn't have tried to meddle. I got Chloe into trouble, and it's only because of you that she got out it unscathed. Besides, I'm just a stupid kid with a crush. I'm sure by the time I leave you'll realize what an ass I am." 

"Clark, I don't think that at all and I promise you I won't. I was just overwhelmed. I finally had someone in my arms that'd I wanted for so long and I just didn't know what do. I just froze." 

"It isn't me you want. I'm just a poor substitute. Besides, if I did stay...if I stayed with you, I'd always wonder if I was stand in. Someone as close to the real thing you'd think you were capable of getting...someone willing to boot." 

"Clark, that's not what I think at all..." 

Clark cut him off, "I'm going to leave now." 

"No, it's my turn. I heard what you had to say now you'll hear me. I don't know what it is, but I have never in my life felt more at peace, more at home than I have been these past few days with you. Call it a fucked up version of love at first sight, but I know that my feelings for you are real, and I have never felt this way for Marc. Perhaps this is how it's meant to be for us. Marc might as well have been stand in for you until the time was right for you to come along and claim what's rightfully yours." 

Shocked. Amazed. Terrified. Clark felt all these emotions and nothing at all. "I have to go." He turned to leave just as Lex began to speak again. Without turning he stopped at the door before leaving. 

Lex's voice was rough at first, choked by emotions welling up at the base of this throat. He rapidly took control, but his voice was still harsh, his words bitter, and full of promise. "Perhaps my father was right. I am ruled by my emotions. And I know for certain that if this is the last day I ever feel peace, I'll make sure the day comes when the world never feels it again either." 

* * *

Pete knew it. He knew that deep down he couldn't leave this place without it breaking his heart. Here is a family that in a short week he's grown to love and adore. Here is the girl of his dreams...and she was actually willingly to date him...here's the Talon, the Torch, Metropolis, freaky meteor rocks, friendship, love and family. 

But he had to leave. He couldn't stay. Could he? 

Today was the day after all. He could simply just choose not to leave with Clark. 

He pulled up to the Jent's drive way and parked in front of the bright, yellow house. Clark was standing on the porch looking desolate and emanating a horrid sense of sadness. However, Clark remained stoic, keeping the flood gates of his emotions in check. 

"Ready?" Clark called out. 

"Yeah, I guess as ready as I'll ever be." 

They walked into the house as though they were walking in a funeral procession to the living room. Clark turned on the tv. Pete got the remote that had been hidden at the ready. Pete pushed power to turn on the cable box and changed it to the WB. 

Nothing. 

Nothing happened. 

"Are we supposed to be doing anything? Maybe re-enact the events that occurred the last time. " Clark asked. 

"I don't know. I don't see Paprika anywhere around." 

The remote suddenly started flipping channels rapidly until it fell on a channel with an old fashioned emblem on the screen. It reminded Clark of something he'd seen on the History Channel on a special he'd seen about the evolution of the television program. In the olden days, a television network would put a like emblem on screen late at night when there were no further programs being shown that night. It was in the days before the wonder of infomercials came into being. 

"Boo!" Phil started laughing. "Oh, gosh, that was classic. You should have seen the looks on your faces, 'Ahhhh!,' oh classic." Phil started laughing again and slapping his knee. As you might have guessed, Phil had jumped in front of the emblem and onto the screen. 

"Well, ya'll finally decided you'd had enough fun, huh?" 

"Yeah." He boys answered weakly. 

"Huh, ya'll don't seem very excited about going back home. He was scutinizing their faces, looking for something. They couldn't tell what. " You two still haven't figured it out yet, have you?" 

Both Clark and Pete were at a total loss. Pete asked "What are you talking about?" 

Epilogue 

"Lex, I want to take this test to see how much of a Mary Sue I am." 

"Why do you even care?" 

"Well, I want to know how I stack up. You see here they award points, and the more you have, the worse you're off." 

"Okay, why don't you measure yourself up, while I feel you up." 

Clark snickered, "Oh, that was bad." 

Lex laughed, "Yeah, I know." 

The two lovers were lying in bed, prestine, white bed sheets draped haphazardly over the lower halves of their bodies. Clark was holding a few papers he'd printed out. Seems they had fanfiction in this world also, and Mary Sues as well. 

"Okay, I took these from a website for Warrior Angel slash, but I'm mixing the words around to relate to Smallvile fanfiction. Can you believe how many website were devoted to pairing Warrior Angel and Devilicus?" 

"As a matter of fact, I can." 

"Okay. Am I a Guardian of the..well in my case Kyptonian? Mm...technically...damn one points." 

"Is related to either...in our case Marc or Lex either by blood or by familial or pseudo-familial ties? Not really blood so no points awarded. Is al dah la, that's one kind of the same so we'll skip it... Damn, that feels." Lex it seems was taking a test of his own to judge if Clark was interested in another round of love making. 

Lex started licking Clark nipple, swirling his tongue around the aureola and then stoking the tip in a highly suggestive manner. 

Clark was conflicted, to have or not have sex at this very moment that was the question. "Just hold on to that thought for a sec. I've only got a few more." But Lex had no intention of stopping. So Clark did his best to control his breathing as Lex was working his way slowly down to his navel. 

"Is one of your...ah... old flames? Nope...Oh keep doing that...What was I sa-ay-ing...Oh, rules that apply to others are bent or broken for him...I think leaving my own universe counts...Damn one poi-oye...oh Gods...Fuck..so good. 

Lex stopped his ministrations to look up at Clark, "Clark, weren't you reading something a second ago?" 

"Reading? What..." Clark pouted, "Oh, I wouldn't mind if skipped down a few...Let me see..." Lex snickered and dove his tonuge into Clark's navel and started licking down Clark's torso toward his groin. "Eeeexcels at everything she turns her hand to or conversely, fails at everything she turns her hand to, but is forgiven...wau-ha...what do you think Lex?" Lex skipped over the parts of Clark's anatomy most important to Clark and started placing wet kisses up Clark's thigh starting at Clark's knee. 

Lex's response was muffled as he started nibbling Clark's inner thigh torturously slow up towards his balls. Lex stopped and looked pensively up at Clark, "Hmm, I'd have to stop and think about that." 

"No you don't. Get back down there." 

Lex chuckled and did as he was told. 

"We'll just say no." 

Lex stopped again, "I think.." 

Clark cut him off, "Don't stop. I'll put a yes." 

"Is unusually physically attractive?" 

"You are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen." 

"All, you're so sweet. Now get back down there...Ah..I like that." Clark said biting his lip. 

"Unusual... eye colour....violet, amber, etc.?" Clark starting gasping, his breath completely taken away. 

Lex paused to answer, "You have the most gorgeous green eyes." 

"Does that count as a point?" 

Lex nodded and smiled, "If I have any say so...Yes." 

Clark smiled sweetly back at Lex, and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. Lex grinned then moved down Clark's body and started kissing Clark's thigh where he'd left off, while his eyes held Clark's. Clark bite his lower lip and then started reading the next question. "Um, hair is mentioned repeatedly...down to her..in my case...his waist...oh God...fell in blue-black waves, eeetttcccc...oh fuck?" 

Lex stopped, "You are a beautiful raven haired beauty, my love. I believe that's another point." Lex smirked devilishly. 

"I think I'm gonna skip a few more...Ha mm...Is universally liked and/or respected...Nope." 

Lex stopped, "Who?" 

"Your dad." 

"He doesn't count. He's the bad guy." 

"Oh. I guess. Damn, another point...Has an excellent singing voice? " 

Lex stopped again, but this time started laughing. "I sorry, but that you don't got." 

"What? I sound pretty good. Not great, but not bad." 

"Well, let's just say I'm just glad you don't like singing in the shower that often. Now back to you." Lex began blowing Clark in earnest, and Clark started thrashing all over the bed. His knuckles white from gripping the bed sheets. 

"Oh... fuck...there's too many. I give up. I lose, I give up and don't care. Just keep suc...oh God yes...please....more...faster...Yes....fuck...oh Gaw..." Clark arched his back as he came and slumped bonelessly on the mattress. 

As Clark lay in post-coital bliss, he dozed off. 

Lex leaned over Clark, tenderly caressing Clark's cheek and whispered in his ear, "Sweet dreams, my green eyed, raven haired Mary Sue." 

Fin 

Bastille Day to July 31, 2003 

* * *

Tidbit: 

Marc's middle name was originally Kerkoe, but since it isn't a name in any known language, I chose Kynton which means 'From Kent.' 


End file.
